Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1887-12-26
THE NATIONS 'SCAPITAL.
Senator Prye's Bill Relating to
Vessel Pilotaee.
The Samoan Difficulty to be Investigated
BY the Senate.
Probable Disposition Of Names Repre-
sentatives on the House Committees.

WALHINGToS, Dec. "a.
| 1t is impossible o-give any forecast of the
composition of the House committees. that
will be in any degree accurate. Several de-
spatches have been sent and certain commit
tees reported by them as completed; but
these dispatches were not authorized and
were in several instances very incorrect.
1 The probabilities are that of the Maine dele
CATION Reed will be on Ways and Means and
Rules. Dingley will be first among the re-
publican members of the new standing COM
mittee of merchant marine and fisheries, and
on banking and currency. Some of the fish
cry men desired to have Mr.. ID. transferred
from banking and currency to foreign af-
fairs, in case any branch of the fishery
question should get before that committee,
but he probably will not be. Boutelle will
be on naval affairs, and Milliken on public
buildings and grounds and expenditures of
the department of justice
The new standing committee on merchant
marine and fisheries, which Mr.. Dingley
cured, is the old select shipping committee,
made standing committee, with its juris-
dictions enlarged SO as to cover the fisher
les.
For the past fifteen years Senator Frye
has been making an earnest fight in Con-
gress, to secure modification of the pilot
age laws, so far as they relate to American
coastwise sailing vessels. Under existing
laws these vessels have been the legitimate
prey of State pilots, and have been CON-
pelled to pay enormous tribute to the great
detriment of ship owners engaged in the
coasting trade. As an instance. the master
of Maine coasting vessel, making port
anywhere on the Atlantic coast, south of
Boston, is obliged, on entering port, to take
State pilot no matter how. well he. (the
MASTERY may know the channels, and to pay
pilotage fees which are out of reason. This
is compulsory, and the efforts of Mr.. Frye
in the past have not been able to remedy the
injustice, for the moment movement was
made the powerful lobby of the associated
pilots appeared, and either blocked or de-
feated proposed legislation. He has intro
dueed bill and had it referred to the COM
mittee on commerce, of which he is chair
man, providing that masters and mates of
American coasting vessels, upon examination
by local inspectors, may be licensed as pi
lots; and no such vessel, piloted by such
master or mate, shall be obliged to take an
other pilot, or to pay any charges or fees for
pilotage under the laws of any State Mr..
Frye has strong hopes that this bill will now
become law and this long standing in jus
tce remedied.
Secretary Bayard made great fuss when
he sent a special commissioner to the Samoan
islands, two years ago, to negotiate treaty,
and settle the difficulties which had arisen
over the possession of the throne between two
chiefs whose respective claims were being
supported by Germany and England. The
commissioner, a native of Delaware whose
experience in diplomacy had been acquired in
back room of lawyers office in a country
town, came back with treaty in his pocket
which is still pending in the Senate. In the
meantime Germany, with total disregard
for Mr.. Bayard's commissioner and his trea-
ty, and presumably with the connvance of
England, has seized the islands, and now the
Senate wants to know from the secretary of
state how it all happened. In secret session
the Senate, upon report made by Senator
Dolph, of the Senate committee on foreign
relations, has adopted a resolution calling
upon Mr.. Bayard for the correspondence and
record of the state department relating TO the
German occupation of the Samoan islands
and Apa. The letters of Consul General
Sewall of Bath. Me-, will be interesting read
ing for the Senate.